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About

My name is Herman van der Hart and I am a Dutch Nature Photographer. Since I was young, I was interested in nature. Spending my childhood at the Veluwe, the largest forest and nature area in The Netherlands, it was quite obvious that my interest in natural values was growing.

I have been living there till I was 18 years old and spend much of my time roaming through the forests, searching for wildlife. Through a father of a friend of mine I learned more about birds and became interested in knowing to distinguish the species and learned about their behavior and habitats. In that time I knew some places where ruffs had their leks. Black-tailed godwits, were so numerous, that we didn't even pay attention to them. Nowadays they are very much threatened, mainly by intensive cattle breeding. After my study physical education I started traveling a lot and at that time photography became more important.

photo: Hennie van Heerden

In 1997 Ellie and I moved to the village Zalk, a hamlet in the delta of the IJssel River. The landscape of the IJssel River with its floodplains often changes and provides great opportunities for all sorts of Nature Photography.

photo: Johan van de Watering

I like all disciplines of Nature Photography but have a slight preference for Landscapes, Birds and Wildlife.

A considerable number of my pictures are at stock of Nature in Stock.

Furthermore, I am giving photo presentations throughout the country ( for the different subjects, go to > Presentaties ) .

Despite the fact that we like to travel, I still make most of my pictures close to home.I hope to inspire other people to what we still have, by looking at my pictures. The most challenging aim I try to accomplish though, is to make distinctive pictures, so that people are not just looking at mere registrations. Emotions and atmosphere I regard as very important in my pictures and in my work colour and special light are tools to create these things. When making pictures of wildlife and birds, I often have more fun in putting the animals in their landscape, than that they dominate almost the entire image.

photo: Johan van de Watering

As far as travels are concerned, I often go back to areas where I have been before and like to come again. In Europe my favorite country is very likely Iceland. But also Scandinavian countries, Spain and some East European countries, like Bulgaria, attract me like a magnet.

Outside Europe I keep going back to the continent Africa. In Asia my favorite country is India, which I have been visiting a good number of times.

I hope to make many more pictures in the future who inspire people and which they can enjoy and at the same time realize what there is at stake now our planet has been put under so much pressure.

AWARDS